Paper napkin



May 24, 1938. E. c. MORRIS 2,118,473

PAPER NAPKIN Filed Dec. 30, 1955 INVENIOR.

ATTORNEY.

- Patented May 24, 1938 UNITED STATES orFicE PATE- PAPER NAPKIN Application December 30, 1935, Serial No. 56,745

V 3 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in paper napkins.

.The principal object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved type of folded napkin.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved type of paper folded napkin capable of supporting itself in a vertical po-' sition in a napkins holder or tray.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved folded paper napkin of the type described that can be efliciently dispensed from either closed dispensers or open holders.

A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved folded paper napkin having supporting folds upon opposite sides extending to a point below the top of the napkin, thus reinforcing the same upon both sides and giving added strength and support to the body of each napkin to maintain said napkin in an upright position.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved napkin of the type described capable of self-support in holders by reason of the fact that there is a supporting member upon both sides ofthe folded napkin.

A further object of the invention is to provide anapkln easily and simply folded so that an edge portion will be presented crosswise on both sides of each napkin spaced from the top of the napkin, which edge may be easily grasped to remove one napkin at a time from either closed or open holders.

A further object of the invention is to provide a napkin that will tend to unfold as it is withdrawn from the holder and more easily than any of the present napkins on the market.

A further object is to provide a napkin which by the use of my new simple fold is shorter and 40 more compact so that packages of the same will occupy less space and smaller holders may be utilized, thus effecting the desired result of the use of napkin holders of lower construction for counter and table service.

vA further object is to provide a napkin of such Fig. 2 is a similar perspective view after the vertical folds have been made;

Fig. 3 is a similar perspective view after both the horizontal and vertical folds have been made;

Fig. 4 is a side elevationalview of the folded napkin;

Fig. 5 is a partially open view in perspective showing the steps of folding to secure the completely folded napkin shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a comparatively 10 long holder showing the manner in which my improved napkins are dispensed therefrom; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of one end of the dispenser showing the manner" in which a napkin is withdrawn.

Referring now to the several figures of the drawing, in which corresponding parts are indicated by the same reference characters, N indicates a. napkin formed of paper or any other suitable material. This napkin is shown in the drawing as first folded along the lines of fold In into three-ply form (see Fig. 2), the left-hand portion H as shown in Fig. 1 being folded backwardly and toward the right into contact'with the rear face of the intermediate portion l2 and the right-hand portion l3 being folded forwardly and toward the left into contact with the front face of said intermediate portion l2,.serving to provide a plural ply strip of comparatively much smaller width than that of the sheet N, with the three plies coextensive in area. Thereupon the lower end portion of the strip which is open at the bottom is folded upwardly and forwardly on the transverse fold line, l5 so as to provide two sections in face contact with each other, the fold line l5 being located in off-center position longitudinally of the three-ply strip so as to cause one of the sections comprising the portion 20 to extend at its free end a short distance beyond the free end of the section comprising the portion II. Said two sections are then folded a second time transversely on the lines I4 and I 6, the lower portion of the once folded strip de-' fined by the folded edge at l5 being carried upwardly and backwardly for bringing the portion l9 into face contact with the portion 20 into the position as shown in Fig. 3. with the portion 20 extending upwardly beyond the upper ends of the other three portions l1, l8 and I9.

In this arrangement as shown in said Fig. 3,

v the portions I 8 and I9 connected integrally with each other at the fold line l5 at their upper ends constitute a tab at one face of the intermediate body portion 20, terminating at its free upperend short of the free upper end of said body portion 55 20. while the portion ll which is open at its upper end constitutes a tab at the opposite face of the body portion, also terminating at its upper end short of the free upper end of said body portion. These tabs formed of a. plurality of thicknesses of the paper folded into reinforcing arrangement with respect to each other effectively support the long intermediate body portion o the napkin at both of its faces so as to make the folded napkin compact and firm and so as to enable an operator to handle a large bunch of the folded napkins conveniently and easily for packing or for placing them in a dispenser cabinet without danger of the napkins becoming partially unfolded or otherwise disarranged in any way.

In Fig. 6, I have shown the usual dispenser provided with the elongated opening 26 upon the forward end wall 21 and with a similar opening upon the opposite end wall. With a plurality of my improved napkins vertically positioned in Y the dispenser 25, it can be seen that the upper edge E of either side of the napkin will be disposed between the parallel horizontal edges of the opening 26 so that the same can easily be grasped to withdraw a napkin.

It is believed to be apparent that when a napkin is being withdrawn from the dispenser 25, it will tend to unfold in the manner indicated by the showing in Fig. 5. Thus, after the napkin has been moved from the holder, it will be obvious that the only further efiort necessary to secure a completely unfolded napkin as shown in Fig. 1, is to unfold the napkin fromthe condition shown in Fig. 2.

In Fig. 7., I have illustrated the manner in which the napkin may be withdrawn by grasping the edge of portion l1 and pulling upwardly and outwardly at the dispensing opening 26 in the dispenser 25. Such upward pressure on the tab at the dispenser opening 26 serves to roll the bottom portion of the napkin into successively higher elevated positions as indicated by the dotted line positions, A and B below the solidline showing of the napkin, such rolling effect being produced by reason of the fact that the outer ply portions constituting the tabs are folded around the inner ply portions of the product, the arrangement of the napkins in the dispenser being such that there is less frictional resistance to such rolling motion of the several plies than there is to an upward movement of the napkin bodily.

While there is a slight friction or sliding movement against the inner wall 25a of the dispenser, it is also obvious that the surface area in frictional contact diminishes as the napkin is withdrawn from the holder. It will be noted that the portion 20 of the napkin travels outwardly in conjunction with the tab portion I! as the same is withdrawn so that the only possible frictional engagement will be between the upper edge of the portion 20 and the upper edge of the adjacent tab ll of the next napkin, which is desirable in any event to force the tab I'I outwardly through the dispensing opening 28 so that the same can be easily grasped when the next napkin is withdrawn.

From the foregoing description, it is believed to be obvious that one of the principal features of the invention res des in the fact that the condition of the napkin when completely folded provides a reinforcement on both sides of the napkin, one side having a tab with the full strength of the napkin in its folded condition, and the other side having a tab with double strength of the folded napkin. This enables the use of large dispensers in which as many as a thousand napkins can be packed at one time, and regardless of the pressure exerted on such a large quantity of napkins, there is very little danger of tearing the end tabs due to the thickness of such tabs as the forward naplnn is being withdrawn through the dispenser opening.

It will also be apparent thatv another advantage over the average folded napkin now used for dispenser service resides in the fact that when the napkin is being withdrawn, regardless of the amount of pressure exerted on the same, the napkin tends to roll froni the bottom upwardly instead of frictionally sliding against adjacent napkins, as in other types of napkins, due

to the fact that the napkin is folded around its lower end and rolls from the dispenser instead;

of sliding. This feature also eliminates the possibility of a quantity of napkins being withdrawn by removal of the foremost napkin, such as is the case in other folded napkins commonly used for dispensing purposes, when a napkin is hastily or carelessly grasped and withdrawn.

While I have illustrated and described a specific embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes and mod fications may be made in the particular construction shown, and I do not wish to be limited in any particular.

secure and protect by Letters Patent of thev Rather, what I desire to United States is:

l. A folded napkin formed from a sheet of paper folded along a plurality of lines to provide a plural ply strip of comparatively much smaller width than that of the sheet, and folded along a transverse line in off-center position longitudinally of the strip to provide two sections in face contact with each other with one section extending at its free end beyond the free end of the other section, and with both of said sections folded along a second transverse line at about the middle of the shorter section longitudinally thereof .with said shorter section folded around the longer section so as to provide in effect an intermediate. body portion and shorter tab portions at opposite faces of said body portion terminating in about equally spaced relation to the end of said body portion.

2. A folded napkin formed from a sheet of paper folded along parallel lines spaced at equal intervals between opposite edges for providing a plural ply strip having its several plies coextransverse line in centered position longitudinally of the shorter section and with said shorter section folded around the longer section so as to provide in effect an intermediate body portion and shorter tab portions at opposite faces of said body portion, said body portion and said tabs be ng coextensive in area at their lower edge portions whereby the folded napkin is given a compact form.

,3. A folded napkin formed from a rectangular sheet of paper folded longitudinally along a plurality of parallel lines to provide a multi-ply strip, said strip being'folded transversely along three parallel lines to form four rectangular sections, the first, second and third sections being 8,118,478 3 arrangedin zig zag relationship, the second secterminating below the upper edge of the first tion being shorter than the first section, the section, the fold between the second and third third section being at least as long as the secsections being adapted to serve as a grasping 0nd section, the fourth section being substantab, the free edge of the fourth section also be- 5 tially the same length as the third section. the ing adapted to serve as a grasping tab.

fourth section being folded back and lying contiguously to a 'portionof the first section, and -ELMER C. MORRIS. 

